In a wide variety of medical treatment situations, it is prudent and/or necessary to employ an intravenous catheter for the proper administration of fluids, medication, electrolytes, and the like. The most convenient location for the placement of the catheter is a vein in the hand or arm, due to the fact that the veins in this area are large, close to the skin, and easily located. After the intravenous needle is inserted in the vein and connected to the catheter tube, the tube is typically taped to the arm or hand to secure the tube and prevent accidental removal of the needle from the vein.
In many instances the tape applied to the tube is ineffective in protecting the catheter installation. Many patients inadvertently move in a manner which applies tension to the tube and pulls the needle from the insertion site. At times other individuals nearby may accidentally snag the tube and cause tension on it. At the least this can be painful to the patient; at the worst, the needle can be removed, causing interruption of the administration of the intravenous fluid. Clearly, serious medical consequences may result.
Also, many hospital patients are encouraged to walk and gain some exercise, even while an intravenous catheter is in place, by having the patient carry the intravenous fluid supply container while walking. This practice further increases the opportunity for the tube to become caught by nearby objects, resulting in accidental removal of the catheter. When the catheter is removed inadvertently, it is frequently the case that the vein insertion point is lacerated slightly, requiring that a new insertion point be used. The number of convenient vien locations which are suitable for catheter insertion is limited, and trauma to these locations may be injurious to the health of a frail patient.
There are known in the prior art several devices for securing the intravenous catheter tube to the patient. In general, these devices have proved to be complicated to use, and not always effective in preventing inadvertent catheter removal. Furthermore, the prior art devices often involve combinations or fasteners and tube mounting members which are difficult to manufacture and therefore unduly expensive.